The National tribune., 1887-11-24
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By a study OF the utter.
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for
Dec. a. ~. Matt. 1918.

st. Matt, -: l-9. gives the parable. The
explanation follows in the same chapter verses
1873. Also read st. Mark, 4 l-9 and l4-2O;
also st. Luke, e:4-s and ILLS
This parable was uttered in October Of the
year % A. ID. The words "tbe same day.
verse ], show certain things were done and
said before Christ left the house. We may sup
pose the scenes of our lesson took place in the
afternoon of a certain day. October was the
sowing time in Palestine. The parable was
spoken nc the seaside. il was explained in
the house after Christ and his companions had
returned thereto. "A sOwer went forth" tk.3
This had happened many a time. parable
must be true TO the facts generally. Very
| likely as Christ spoke he saw more than one
J man of on the hill-sides scattering seed. The
reference is fguratively to the incarnation Of
Christ Jesus went forth, as a Sewer, from
Bethlehem some over 30 years before he uttered
the parable. lie sowed the good seed all over
Palestine.
The parable was spoken near Capernaum.
/ Jesus, the speaker, was sitting in boat on the
Sea Of Galilee while the multitude stood along
/ the beach. The boat was anchored out a little
! from the Shore Christ looked toward the west,
while his audience looked toward the east
! These facts favor the afternoon as the time,
! since il would have been painful TO gaze out
upon the lake mirrowed by sunlight. The
house referred to was doubtless that Of 81. Peter
(St. Matt, Il "a, 25.) 1t seems Christ did not
explain the parable until he returned TO st.
Peters house. (St. Matt, ID: TO- &c. st. Mark,
4:l0)
BY "ship" ". q we are to form no such idea
ms we now do by that word. 1t was simply a
little iishing-bOat used for arranging nets, for
extending them out from the shore and pull
ing them in when il was supposed they con-
tanned fishes. What boat was this? To whom
dad it belong? Such questions have arisen.
There are several other places in the Gospels
which refer to a boat or ship. and of Christ or
the Disciples using it. Some think particular
boat is always meant-that il was kept for the
convenience Of Christ or his followers. This
1 is the opinion OF Wakefield ROsenmuller and
Doadridge suppose no particular vessel is meant
/ DIR. James Strong believes il was simply one Of
/ a number of boats generally on the seashore
of Capcrnaum. A multitude surrounded Christ
! He wished TO address them. Seeing the boat
at hand he went aud sat in it and proceeded 10
instruct the people The multitude was doubt
less mainly from Capernaum, but St. Luke
states (S: a. they were from every city.
Christ sat" 10 speak. This was the east
en attitude Of one addressing a company.
] %: H. The people stood The pulpit was a
boat; the auditorium, the seashore.
Christ spoke in parallels. A parable is a
similitude or comparison taken from life or
nature TO render more clear an abstract or
| spiritual fact. To comprehend it and see its
| application, however at times require much
attention. 1t does not always so simplify as TO
demand no effort 10 see its relation to the un-
seen, mental or spiritual
After sitting, the first parable uttered by
Christ was that known as the parable of the
soweT. Ii was fit his first teaching should re-
4 late TO the duty OF hearing.
The sower meant Christ. Now all his fol-
lowers, especially clergymen and Sunday school
/ teachers, are sewers The seed is the Gospel
! The places sown, the soil, are the minds and
! hearts of human beings.
What would Christ teach by this parable2
1 j. That but few even of those bearing Christ
! himself received benefit from the seed. Even
1 Jesus did not succeed in convincing all who
! heard him. Numerically considered, Christ
did not accomplish much. 2. That all sewers
would be treated in a manner quite similar TO
1 that in which Christ was treated. In this re-
spect the parable was prophetic. Did any
prophecy ever prove truer? How much seed
is practically thrown away every Sunday
morningi This is true of all congregations.
3. That hearers Of the Gospel can be ranged
into different sorts. He gives four classes,
which we shall consider separately. IL will be
found we have in modern times persons who
fall under each head.
Christ compares the first class 10 seed sown
on the UdySide We can easily see what the
effect would he Of sowing on the pathway
Such soil is not prepared for yegetation-it is
not plowed, dragged weeded, irrigated. The
seed can take no effect. Ii remains on the
surface. So the fowls readily come and devoul
it. (Y. A. ST. Luke adds, g" 1t was troddeu
down" (s:5)
The second class is compared TO seed sowr
in stony places. BY this we mean thin surfac,
of soil over layers Of rocks. The seed cannot
sink deep. There is just soil enough TO causI
it TO spring up. The rocks beneath prevent it
taking depth Of root, aud il cannot obtain suf
icient moisture. SO the sun, which shoulC
give it life and cause it TO grow, only scorche
and withers il. What would have been its LIE
had it been sown rightly becomes its death
Anyone can sec the result of sowing in sucl
soil.
The third class is compared TO seed sow
among tiOrns In this case the soil is good AM
the seed sinks deep into it, but the ground
so full of thOrns there is no room for the goo,
! seed completely to develop. 1t begins TO grol
rapidly, but is actually choked by the thorn
which preoccupied the land. The sowing G
seed in such soil is labor lost. The ground
not prepared for the seed.
The fourth class is compared 70 seed sow
IN good ground, TO wit, ground well plowed
with depth Of soil, rich in moisture cleared O
weeds, freed from every remaining root o
tborns, briers, etc. Here the seed takes dee
/ hold, springs up, and bears plentiful fruit. A
i. a result, the farmer has 10 every seed sown *
5 90 or 100 seeds. This is the only soil whic
repays the sower
G There are yet hearers who fall under each {
these four classi6cations. There were i
Christ's day. There are now at every religion
service. Every minister has waysde hearers
stOny-grOund bearers thOrn-crowded hearers
I, and some good ground hearers From the para
, be we might infer that ia Chrsts time one i
four really heard him. Possibly this NIGH
serve as general rule, that of each four listen
: ers Of sermons and other church instruction
, is a good-ground, or proited, nearer. But il
a question whether even this proportion be col
, rect Does every fourth nearer at religion
gatherings derive genuine benefit? Fault
: often found with preachers-how is it abou
! hearersp
: Suggestions:
: ]. All gOod-ground hearers are not equal
: benefited. There are degrees in attentive heai
= ing. Also the benefits from good hearing al
a not equal. Good-gTOund hearers range as 3
: 90 and 100. These differences may not be du
only 10 the lack Of equal attention, but also
!, the fact all hearers have not uniform capacit,
: 2. The second class Of hearers or attendan
y at religious services were better than the frs
: aud the third better than the second. TIL
shows that, though certain people are bett,
= than others, yet they are not as good as tho
! ought TO be-
:. 8 The seed which came mp quickcst-th
: sown on rocky soil-may seem to be ia advan,
:. of seed which, sunk ia a deep, rich soil, fai
= 20 get 20 the surface so soon as that sown In
= thin layer of ground. A ship with Eo lalla
- may outsail another vessel properly suppl,
- with heavy wcight-outsail her In fair wealth,
- but she cannot endure the storms. Oft